A day after the NCP quit the Third Front, accusing SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of praising the BJP, the Sharad Pawar-led party smelt a conspiracy by the Grand Alliance.

"It is a conspiracy plotted by the JDU-RJD against Mulayam ," said, SP's Bihar in-charge and general secretary Kiranmoy Nanda said today.

He also attacked NCP general secretary and MP Tariq Anwar for calling Mulayam communal.

"Mulayam is the most secular leader and SP the most secular party in the country. The BJP believes in dividing people on religious grounds while the JDU-RJD-Congress does so on the basis of caste. Mulayam never praised the BJP or said there was a BJP wave in Bihar and that it would come to power in the state," Kiranmoy told a press meet. The NCP would go it alone for the remaining phases of elections . The SP, NCP, the Pappu Yadav-led Jan Adhikar Party and three more parties had joined hands on the eve of elections to "provide a viable alternative".

On Friday, Nanda claimed the third front stands tall even after NCP's withdrawal. The SP would contest 85 seats, Jan Adhikar Party (Democratic) 64, Samras Samaj Party (SSP) 28, Samajwadi Jatna Dal (SJD) 23 and National People's Party (NPP) three seats.

The NCP's decision to quit the alliance was taken by its Katihar MP Tariq Anwar, who had been projected as the Front's chief ministerial candidate. Asked who will be the chief ministerial candidate now, Nanda said: "It will be decided after the elections. For now, we are focused on elections and on making possible changes in the list for the upcoming phases," Nanda said.

The NCP is contesting 45 seats. Voting got over on eight seats during the first phase on October 12, when the party was part of the third front. A majority of the remaining 37 seats are in Seemanchal and would go to polls in the fifth phase on November 5.